Climbers who court danger in the world's highest places risk far more than just their own skins. The author recounts climbers' stories of near-death experiences, and gives a voice to the families and loved ones of Chris Bonnington, Ed Viesturs, Anatoli Boukreev and Alex Lowe, amongst many other famous names.

Climbers who court danger in the world's highest places risk far more than just their own skins. When tragedy strikes, what happens to the people who love them? Why would anyone choose to invest in a future with a high altitude climber? What is life like in the shadow of the mountain? Such questions have long been taboo within the international world of mountaineering. Now, Maria Coffey breaks this silence. She recounts climbers' stories of near-death experiences, and gives a voice to the families and loved ones of Chris Bonnington, Ed Viesturs, Anatoli Boukreev and Alex Lowe, amongst many other famous names. Her riveting marrative weaves tales of adventure with first-person accounts of the people left behind, highlighting the conflicting beauty, passion and devastation of this alluring obsession.